Device for controlling the supply of fuel to oil burners and the like



June 14, 1938. R. w. .JOHNSON 2,120,364 DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE SUPPLY OF FUEL TO OL 'BURNERS AND THE LIKE 4 sheets-shed 1 Filed March 5,` 1933 www Ww, w VQ w QR lullmmm Ik l w\ m mw m .NW mw NN. NN Nm, NWN A Cr Q. Qwf @J o hmmmwww, mm fili@ mk mv n. kdm) w S@ fsm l l@ ww k INVENTOR.

Y /QZLMJI Maw,

)77s 77W F ATTORNEY y `une 14, 1938.

DEVICE Fonon'ulRoLLING THE SUPPLY 0F FUEL To OIL BURNERS AND THE LIKE:l

Filed March 5.' 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 11 w LL Lg -v 11 R /GD INVENTOR.

www 4f 7m u@ ATTORNEY5 xla. w. ,JOHNSON 2,120,364 l June 14, 1938. R. w. JOHNSON DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE SUPPLY OF FUEL TO OIL BURNERS AND THE LIKE .Filed March 3, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

June 14, 1938. I ra. w. .JoHNsoN I l 2,120,364

DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE SUPPLY OF FUEL TO OIL BURNERS AND THE LIKE Filed March s, 1933 4 sheets-sheet 4 ATTORNEY R //a //a Y s Ptened June' 14, ag

UNITED?A srATEs PATENT. Fries DEVICE FOB CONTROLING THE SUPPLY F FUEL TO OIL BURNERS AND THE LIKE Roy W. Johnson, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to,

Automatic Products Compara a corporation of Wisconsin Y Application March 3, 1933, Serial No. 659,448 s claims. (ci. 13e-csr ity feed of the liquid fuel it is usual to employ a oat controlled inlet valve to maintain a certain level of the oil in the 'fuel supply chamber associated Witlrthe oil burner. With devices of this sort it is important to insure the closing of the inlet valve when the oil reaches the predetermined level in order to prevent flooding of the burner and to avoid the hazard and waste due to escape of the oil.

The present invention has for one of its objects the provision of a simple', compact and closely organized structure for insuring the closure of the inlet valve to the fuel supply chamber in the event the main float controlling such valve is unable or fails to effect closure thereof upon rise of the vfuel to above the selected or predetermined level.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a liquid level control device'of this character which avoids the necessity of handling the excess fuel supplied to the fuel supply chamber and which returns this fuel to the system automatically upon resetting of the liquid level control device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a liquid level control device of this character which is susceptible of embodiment in various types of fuel supply systems, being capable of use in a closely organized structure employing a thermo statically controlled or a manually controlled out let valve between the fuel supply chamber and the burner and being also capable of embodiment in a similarly advantageous structure wherein the regulation of the feed of the fuel to the burn er is had by changing the level of the liquid in the fuel supply chamber to thereby effect the supply of fuel to the main or pilot Wick of the oil burner.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of the construction, arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, form-- ing a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view partly in central vertical longitudinal Section and partly in side elevation showing the invention embodied in that type of structure which employs a thermostatically controlled outlet valve between the fuel supply chamy ber and the burner;

in Figure 1 with the cover plate .and thermostat removed;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a view partly in end elevation and partly in vertical section, the view being taken on line 4 4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a view in central vertical longitudinal section with parts shown in elevation `and illustrating the invention embodied in a structure wherein the feed of the fuel is regulated by varying the level maintained in the fuel supply chamber; .Y

Figure 6 is a plan view of the structure shown 15 inFigure 54with the cover, plate and partscar ried thereby removed and with parts shown in section for the sake of illustration;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section taken on line 'i-l of Figure 5 and look- 20 ing in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 8 is a view in centralvertical longitudinal section with parts shown in elevation and illustrating the invention embodied in that type of system employing manually adjustable outlet valves regulating the feed of liquid fuel from the fuel supply chamber to the burner;

Figure il is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 8, the cover plate being removed and parts being shown in section for the sake of simplicity in illustration;

Figure lis a view in transverse vertical sec tion talren on line it-lt of Figure 9 with parts shown in elevation for the salte of illustration;

and

Figure 11 is a detail 'view' in plan showing the dial plate,y pointer and stop provided for each of the manually adjustable outlet valves shown in Figure 10.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, a casing designated `generally at I is provided and has a fuel supply or main -oat chamber 2 and an auxiliary float chamber 3 therein, these chambers being separated by a dam or partition Ii, the upper edge of which is located a short distance above. the

normal level maintained in the fuel supply cham' ber 2. A fuel supply conduit-5 is provided and may be cast integral with the casing I. At one end this conduit .5 hasfuel supply/nipples or 5U -connections 6 formed integral therewith.' Thus nipples 6 are provided at each side of the casing to make it convenient to install the devices under the varying conditions met with in practice but ordinarily only one is connectedvup to a fuel strainer being in the form of a reticulated or screen tubing having one end suitably attached to a short sleeve I I carried by a plug I2 and having its other end suitably attached to an imperforate metal cup I3- supported at one end of a rod I4, the other end of the rod being fitted in an opening provided in the plug I2 and being suitably attached thereto. The plug-|2 is threaded into an opening provided at one end of the conduit 5 and its inner end is hollowed out as at I5 to freely communicate with the short sleeve II. The hollowed out portion is provided with an external annular groove I5 in open communication with the nipples 5 and` this groove I5 communicates through openings I5 with the interior of the hollowed out portion and consequently with the interior of the strainer I5.

At the end of the conduit 5 opposite the plug I2 an internally threaded opening 25 is provided in the wall of the casing between the supply chamber 2 and the conduit 5. The communication which this opening may afford between the conduit 5 and the chamber 2 is regulated by an inlet valve designated generally at 2l. The inlet valve 2i comprises a casing 22 having its lower end threaded into the opening 25 and provided with an axial opening 23 and transverse openings 24 which communicate with the chamber 2. At the intersection of the openings 25 and 24 a valve seat 25 is provided. The beveled lower end of a-needle valve 26 coacts with this valve seat 25 to regulate the fiow of the liquid fuel from the conduit 5 through the lower portionof the axial opening 23 and through the transverse openings 24 into the chamber 2. As shown, the needle valve 25 is slidably interiltted in 'the upper portion of the axial opening 23 which is adapted to receive the same. The operation of the needle valve 25 is controlled by a main iioat 55 fastened to one end of a lever 3l fulcrumed on a pin 52 carried by the casing I and having a bifurcated end 33 interconnected with the needle valve 25. The arms of the bifurcatedl end are rounded as shown in Figure 1 and bear against shoulders 34 formed on an abutment collar 35 fitted on and suitably fixed to the upper end of the needle valve 25. A coil spring 31 encircles the upper portion 'of the needle valve 25 and has one end abutting the casing 22 and its other end abutting the collar 35. The spring 31 is under such compression as to be operative to move the needle valve 25 upwardly to open position upon fall of the level of the liquid vbelow the selected or predetermined level.

In the normal operation of the device the needle valve 25 is opened and closed upon change of level in the chamber 2 under the action of the float 35. At times, due to the presence of grit on the valve seat 25 or for other reasons, the float 35 is ineffective to close the valve 25 even though the liquid level in thechamber 2 rises above the selected or predetermined level.

The present invention proposes the provision of auxiliary means of novel character for insuring the closure of -the needle valve when such conditions obtain. Broadly, this auxiliary means consists of a valve closing member biased to a position wherein it is effective to close the needle valve 25 but which is normally latched in inoperative position, the latch, however, being vautomatically released to permit the valve operator to act to close the valve when the level of liquid in the fuel supply chamber rises above that which the main float tends to maintain.

As illustrated in the drawings, the'valve operator consists of a. plate-like member 45 having at one end thereof short bearing sleeves 4I transversely alined and, if desired, integral with the member 45. A pivot pin 42 carried by the side walls oi' the casing I extends through these sleeves 4I and provides a pivotal support for the member 45. The member 45 is biased to swing downwardly so that its imperforate body portion will strike 4 and punch the valve 25 to closed position. This biasing action may be had by means of weights or a spring or both. In the present instance a coil spring 43 is wound about the pivot pin 42 between the bearing sleeves 4I and has one end abutting against an internal wall or partition 44 of the casing and has its other end bearing down on the body portion of the plate 45. As will be understood from Figure 2, the plate 45 is formed with a lengthwise slot 45 extending partway therealong and out through the free end thereof. The wing formations 45 of the member 45 occurring on each side of the slot 45 may be weighted as at 41 to aid in the biasing action referredto.

For the purpose of normally maintaining the member 45 in elevated inoperative position, a

latching lever 55m-provided and is fulcrumed as at 5| on a pin mounted on the side walls of the casing I. The lever 55 overlies the member 45 and to some extent is accommodated in its slot 45. Adjacent its fulcrum this lever 55 is provided with an integral latching hook 52 engageable with the underside of the body portion of the member 45 at the inner end of the slot 45 when functioning to latch the member 45 in its elevated or inoperative position. A camming projection 53 is also formed integral with a portion oi.' the lever 55 adjacent its fulcrum and is engageable with the body portion of the member 45 when the device is being reset, as will hereinafter more fully appear. The end of the lever 55 remote fromits fulcrum 5I is pivotally connected as at 54 with a projection 55 secured to and extending upwardly fi'om an auxiliary float 55.

One side edge of the body portion of the member is notched'as'at 51. The marginal edges of this notch 51 engage in an annular groove 55 ladjacent the lower end of a resetting stem which is slidable in a bearing or opening 55 provided therefor in the section 5I of the top of the casing. A stop pin 52 limits the downward movement of this stem. At its upper end the stem 55 may be provided with a knob 53 to facilitate gripping and actuation thereof.

Under normal operating conditions with the structure as thus far described, the parts are positioned as shown in Figure 1, with the main float 35. acting upon a fall of the level below the selected or predetermined level indicated by the dot and dash line to permit the spring 31 to open the valve 25 and allow liquid fuel to flow into the chamber 2 until the predetermined level is restored, whereupon the .rise of the main float 35 acts through the lever 3| to close the valve 25 against the action of its spring 31. Under such conditions there is no liquid in the auxiliary float chamber 3 and the` weight ofthe float and the natural bias of the lever 55 retains the latching hook 52 of the lever 55 engaged with the body portion of the valve operator 45 to hold this valve operator in its elevated inoperative position notwithstanding its bias. Now then, should the main float 55, due to the presence of grit on the valve seat 25 or for other reasons, be ineffective to close the valve 25 after the level of the fuel in 2,120,364 then liquid fuel will continue to run into the chamber 2 past the open valve 26 and the level will continue to rise until the liquid fuel flows over the dam or partition 4 and into the auxiliary oat chamber 3. The now of liquid into the chamber 3 will cause the auxiliary float 56 to rise thereby swinging the lever 50 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 1 and disengaging the latching hook 52 from the member lil. 'I'his frees the member 40 and allows it to swing quickly downwardly under the influence of its spring 43 and its weights the valve operator B causes its body portion to strike the upper end of the needle valve 26 with a hammer-like blow thereby punching or forcibly thrusting the needle valve 26 to closed position. Upon such occurrence flow of any more liquid fuel into the supply chamber 2 is prevented and when the liquid fuel in this chamber has been exhausted the burner will be extinguished. The device may be reset by pulling upwardly on the knob e3 which causes the stem 59 to move upwardly andthe stem in turn swings the member d@ up away from the needle valve 2% thereby restoring the needle valve to the control of the main float SEB. This upward movement of the member il@ causes its body portion to engage the camming projection 53 of the lever 5d and as a result the lever 59 is swung in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figure i. Such swinging of the lever E@ brings the latching hook 52 into engagement with the body portion of the member dii to releasably secure this member d@ -in elevated inoperative position and since such' movement of the lever is accompanied by a downward movement of the auxiliary float S6 the liquid which had owed `into the auxiliary float cham-- ber 2 will be displaced back into the., main fuel supply chamber 2.

The mechanism described will be adequate to take care of all of the conditions, .usual or unusual, which occur from time to time in the operation of a device of this sort, but, if desired, l'ooding of the burner due to failure of both the main iioat and auxiliary safety mechanism to close the valve 26 may be avoided by providing a vent opening Vin one of the walls of the casing, the vent opening communicating at its inner upper end with theinterior of the fuel supply chamber 2 at a point somewhat above the top edge of the dam or partition l and communicating at its outer lower lend with the exterior. Of course, such an expedient results in spilling of the fuel in the region of the liquid level control device and would be unsatisfactory to take care of the usual conditions met. It may be. however, that such an expedient is to b e preferred to a flooding of the burner under any circumstances. f

The fuel supply chamber 2 communicates through passages t and E6 and through an outlet valve designated generally at el with an outlet chamber Si?. The chamber t8 is defined by portions of the side walls and one end wall of the casing, by the vertical transverse partition d@ and by a horizontal partition @t which forms the bottom of the outlet chamber and extends over vtne passage E6. In this horizontal partition fi@ an internally threaded opening lil is provided and receives the externally threaded lower end ll of the valve casing lil. This valve casing l@ is formed with an axial passage l2 communicating with transverse passages lil. The passage l2 opens to the passage 6E while the passages it open into the outlet chamber. At the juncture of the passages 'i2 and 7S a valve seat 'll is pro- 4l. Such downward swinging of' vided and coacts with the beveled portion of a needle valve 15. The needle valve is slidably fitted in the upper portion of -the axial opening l2 of the valve casing. A coil spring 16 encircles the upper portion of the valve casing and the portion of the valve 'i5 which. projects above the same, the lower end of the spring 'i6 abutting a shoulder 'I0' provided therefor on the valve casing and the upper end engaging and pressing upwardly on a cross pin 15' secured tothe valve l5. Thus, the spring 'I6 tends to open the outlet valve 15. In the present structure it is proposed to control the opening and closing of the valve I6 from a thermostat of conventional construction, a portion of which thermostat is designated at l1. A thermostat is carried by the section 6| of the casing top Aand is subjected to the temperature which is to affect the operation of the burner. The rod 18 extends down through an opening 6i' provided in the section 6i and bears at its lower end against the intermediate portion of a lever 19. The lever i9 is provided at one end with integral apertured ears 80 through which the pivot pin 42 extends whereby to provide a fulcrum for this lever. The free end of the lever operates between adjustable stop screws ill threadedly engaged with the casing and held in adjusted position by lock screws d2. A removable cover plate 83 provides for access to the screws 8i and 32.

With this construction, wheny the thermostat calls for heat thc lower end of the rod i3 moves upwardly whereupon the valve l5 opens since the spring 76 presses upwardly on the valve stern and since the valve stem at this time may displace the lever 'i9 upwardly inasmuch as this lever 19 is free to follow the upwardly moving lower end of the rod le. Should 'the heat generated by the`burner exceed that required for casing i as indicated at 88. Since this clean-outy rod and its mounting form no part of the present invention they will not be described/in detail.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures '5 to 7, inclusive, substantially the same means is employed for normally regulating lthe' opening and closing of the inlet valve and for inthe lower end of this rod the purposes for which the burner is employed 4 suring closure thereof in the event of failure of the main oat. In fact, this second embodiment diners from that just described, only in the provision of a different means for regulating the now of liquid from the main fuel supply Vchainber to the burner; in the different resetting member, and fin the design of vthe casing and of the fluid supply structure that leads to the inlet'valve. Referring to Figures 5 to 7, it will be seen that there is provided as before 'a casing designated at'la and having therein a main fuel supply chamber` 2, and an auxiliary float chamber 3 with av dam or partition d separating these two chambers. An'inlet valve designated at 2te corresponds with the in-r let valve 2| and is opened and closed normally under the control of a main float 30B acting provision of a ,slightly through a lever 3|B. Should the main iloat 30* for any reason be ineffective to close the inlet valve 2| the fuel will rise `to suchlevel Ain the chamber 2a as to iiow over into the chamber-.a thereby elevating the float 5|'a which acts through a lever 50a to disengage the latching hook 52al from the body portion of the biased valve operator 40a and permit this operator to swing forcibly downward, under the influence of its weight 41a and spring 43a, and hence to punch or thrust the valve 2| to closed position. The resetting means for the auxiliary valve operator is slightly different in that the stem 59 is omitted and a resetting arm designated at 90 is formed integral with the valve operator 40, this arm extending through a slot 9| in the casing |a and projecting beyond the same so that it may be conveniently operated. from the exterior. The. valve operator 4|!a is of slightly different design in that it has only one wing designated'at 46a and in that its pivotal mounting is provided by a pivot pin 42a mounted on the casing I and extending through openings provided in a downturned ear 92 integral with one edge of the valve operator 40EL and in the arm 90. The spring 43a is coiled about this pin 42BL and` has one end bearing against the adjacent wall of the casing I and its other end bearing down on the valve operator l0a the coiled portion of the spring being accommodated in a cut-out portion or recess 93 provided therefor in the valve operator 40a.

Fuel is supplied from any suitable source to an internally threaded nipple 6a integral with one end of the supply conduit 5B. This conduit 5 contains a strainer I similar to the strainer |0 and supported at one end on a removable plug I2'L and at its other end on an inlet tube 94, one end of which communicates with the nipple 6 and' the other end of which communicates with the interior of the strainer.

The liquid fuel flows by gravity from the chamber 2 to the burner (not shown) and in so doing passes through a lateral passage 95 provided in one wall of the casing and down through a vertlcal passage 96 to an outlet fitting or nipple 91 which connects with a fuel supply line leading to the burner. The passage 90 communicates at its lower end with the nipple 01 and at its upper end yopens through a shelf provided in the casing below itsrtop whereby to afford the desired venting action.

When a liquid level .control device of this character is used with a burner of the type having a main wick and a pilot wick the level of the fuel normally maintained in the supply chamber 2 by the main float 30* may be changed, that is. raised or lowered, in order to supply sufficient fuel to charge the main wick or to supply only a reduced amount and thus charge or feed only the pilot wick. In the present instance, this is accomplished by raising and lowering the fulcrum 32* of the oat lever SI. 'Ihe fulcrum 32* is in the form of a pin which passes through a vertical rod |00 and through the arms of the bifurcated portion of the lever ll. I The lower end of the rod is slidably fitted in a socketlike bearing |0| while the upper end thereof is slidably interiltted with a bearing |02 pro.

vided therefor in the top |03 of the casing. A spring |04 encircles a portion Vif the rod |00, and has its lower end abutting a shoulder |05 formed at the upper end of the bearing |0| and has its upper end engaging an abutment |06 secured on the rod |00 and which may be in the form of a washer and cross pin.

The

spring |04 is designed to maintained the rod elevated as shown in Figure 5, thereby disposing the fulcrum in its high or uppermost position. In

the elevated position of the fulcrum the main float level fuel will be maintained in the chamber 2 with the consequence that only sufficient fuel will y, be fed to the burner as is required to supply the pilot wick.

The position of the rod |00 may be controlled in various ways. The present invention proposed to control it thermostatically, the thermostat being subjected to the heat of the burner or to the heat of the environment which is selected as the regulating influence. For this purpose, a thermostat shown diagrammatically at |01 and shown at the casing top |03 is provided and has its rod |08 designed to engage and push down on the upper end of the rod |00 thereby lowering the fuel supply level upon the occurrence of exces-- sive heat. When the thermostat calls for heat. that is, when it is cooled off, the rod |08 is elevated and allows the spring |04 to move the rod |00 upwardly thereby restoring the fulcrum 32'l to its elevated position and increasing the head of the fuel to the extent necessary to supply both the main wick and the pilot wick.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 8 to 11, inclusive, is similar to the embodiments previously described and especially to that embodiment shown in Figures 5 to 7, although differlng therefrom especially in that the fulcrum for the main float-is fixed and in that one or more manually adjustable valves are provided for. regulating the flow of fuel from the main fuel supply chamber to the burner.- As shown in Figures 8 to 11, this embodiment comprises a casing Il having a fuel supply chamber 2b and auxiliary oat chamber 3b separated by a partition or dam 4b. Fuel is supplied to the chamber 2b through a float'cont-rolled needle valve 2|, the fuel being supplied from any suitable source to fluid inlet connections and strainer identical with that shown in Figure 5 and hereinbefore described. The valve 2 Ib is controlled by a main iloat 30" which has its lever 3|b fulcrumed on a pin 02b and interconnected with the needle valve. The float 30" is normally effective to close the needle valve but when the level lowers below the selected or predetermined level the spring 31 associated with the ,valve 2|b functions to open the valve. In the event the oat 30b upon rise of the liquid above the predetermined level should be ineffective to close the valve 2|b there will be an overflow of liquid into the auxiliary float chamber 3b and the auxiliary float il will be elevated and will act'through the lever $0" to release the auxiliary valve operator 40 which will swing down under the iniluence of its biasing means such as its weights I'Ib'to punch orl thrust the inlet valve 2lb to closed position. As'

The liquid fuel ows from the supply chamber 2b through openings I I0 and past manually adjustable valves to nipples or connections H2 which are adapted for connection with a fluid supply line leading to the burner or burners. Two valves lll are shown but in many instances only one will be used and in fact in many cases the device will be equipped with only one of these valves. In such event one of the nipples H2 will be capped or plugged. Each valve i has a beveled portion H3 cooperable with a valve seat H4 provided around the port connecting each opening lill with its nipples 2. Below the beveled portion H3 each valve is provided with a guide stem I of a diameter less than that of the port through which it extends. Above the beveled portion l I3 each valve has an externally threaded portion liti engaging a correspondingly threaded bearing H1 provided therefor in the casing Ib.v The main stems of the valves are designated at il@ and project up through bushings HS provided therefor in the top of the casing. An annular dial |29 is fitted over the bushing and is clamped in position by a nut |2|. On each valve stem an operating handle |22 and a pointer or indicator |23 is fixed. A stop pin |24 coacts with each pointer to limit the movement of the valve in one direction. Adjustable stops |25 may be provided and are frictionally clamped between the nuts |2| and dials |20. The openings of the dials |20 and the portions of the bushings H9 which they engage may be of noncircular cross section to prevent rotary displacement of the dials: As shown in Figure 11, each dial is provided with numbers which indicate the different positions of the valve. It will be understood that by turning either knob |22 its valve stem H8 will be rotated and due to the action of the threaded portion IIS and its bearing Hl the beveled portion H3 will be moved toward or away from each seat I Id depending upon y the direction in which the handle |22 is turned.

In all forms of the invention a simple, compact and closely organized device is had which maintains the proper or desired level of fuel in the fuel supply chamber and which is equipped with an auxiliary inlet valve closing arrangement operable automatically to close the inlet valve in the event the main float is unable to do so. This auxiliary valve closing mechanism is so constituted as to be contained within the same casing as the main float controlled mechanism and the parts are so organized that this auxiliary mechanism. upon being reset, will itself displace the fuel from the auxiliary oat chamber back into the main float chamber.

'I'he mechanism not only has these advantages but also lends itself for organization in a practical and simple way with manually or thermostatically controlled outlet valves employed between the main uid supply chamber and the` burner or with other means for varying or regulating the flow from the main fuel supply chamber to the burner.

While I have shown and described several embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the structures illustrated have been selected merely for the purpose of illustration and that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement `oi' the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a casing having a. bottom wall and containing a reservoir provided with an outlet, said wall having an aperture, an inlet member secured in saidaperture and extending upward into said reservoir, said member having an inlet passageway therethrough with an internal annular shoulder, a cont-rol member in said passageway and having means cooperable with said shoulder to control now to said reservoir, said inlet member having guide means for said control member, said control member projecting from said inlet member and having a lateral flange, a pivotally supported lever arm in said casing and having one end portion cooperable with4 said flange to actuate said control member, afloat in said reservoir and carried by the other; end portion of said lever arm, an overflow chamber having communication with said reservoir,I a iloat in said chamber operable upon overflow of liquid from said reservoir, a normally inactive lever in said casing and cooperable with said second-named float, said normally inactive lever being normally out of engagement with said control member and operable on said control member to close said inlet passageway upon overflow of liquid into said chamber, a stop member limiting movement of said normally inactive lever in one direction, and a spring holding said normally inactive lever in engagement with said stop member and operable to urge said control member toward closed position.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a casing containing a constant level chamber having an inlet and an outlet, means 'controlling said inlet, a lever fulcrumed in said casing and having an active and an inactive position, said lever normally being in its inactive posif tion and movable to its active position to engage means to close said inlet, said casing having an opening in its side wall, said lever having one end projecting through said opening, an overflow chamber communicating with said constant level chamber, a float in said overflow chamber and cooperable with said lever to close said controlling means upon overflow into said chamber, a fioat in said constant level chamber cooperable with said controlling means to maintain a substantially constant level of liquid in said constant level chamber, said projecting lever end serving as a means for positioning said lever to normally inactive position, a spring acting on said lever and operable to urge said valve into inlet closing position, and a cover member on and secured to said casing and overlying said lever.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a casing containing a constant level chamber having an inlet and an outlet, means controlling said inlet, a lever having an active and an inactive position and fulcrumed in said casing, said lever normally being in its inactive position and engageable with said means to close said inlet, said casing having an'opening in its side wall, said lever having. one end projecting through said opening, means in said casing cooperable'with the other end of said lever to urge said lever into engagement with said controlling means, an overflow chamber communicating with said constant level chamber, a float in said overflow chamber and cooperable with lsaid lever to move 'said controlling means,to close said inlet upon overflow into said chamber, a oat in said constant level chamber cooperable with said controlling means to maintain a substantially constant level of liquid in said constant level chamber, said projecting lever end serving as a manually operable means for positioning said lever from the outside of said casing in its normally inactive position, and a cover member on and secured to said casing and overlying said lever.

4. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a reservoir with an upward opening inlet and an outlet, means controlling said inlet, guide means for said controlling means and iixed relative to said casing, a float in said reservoir and responsive to changes of liquid second-named lever cooperating with said secondnamed float and with said stem and being operable on movement of said second-named oat `to close said inlet, said second-named lever being normally out of engagement with said stem, said lost-motion connection permitting said control means to move relative to said reservoir float upon engagement of said second-named lever and said control means.

5. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a bottom wall and containing a reservoir provided with an outlet, said wall having an aperture, an inlet member secured in said aperture and extending upward into said reservoir, said member having an inlet passageway therethrough with an internal annular shoulder, a control member in said passageway and cooperable with said shoulder to control flow to said reservoir, said inlet member having guide means for said control member, said control member projecting from said inlet member and i having a lateral flange, a pivotally supported lever arm in said casing and having one end portion cooperable with said flange to actuate said control member, a lost-motion connection between said arm and said control member, a float in said reservoir and carried by the. other end portion of said lever arm, an overow chamber having communication with said reservoir, a float in said chamber operable upon overilow of liquid` from said reservoir, and a normally inactive lever in said casing and cooperable with said secondnamed oat, said normally inactive lever being normally out o f engagement with said control member and operable on said control member to close said inlet passageway upon overflow of liquid into said chamber, said lost-motion connection permitting said control member to move relative to said reservoir float upon engagement of said lever and said control member.

6. A device of the character described comprising a casing containing a constant level chamber having an inlet andan outlet, means controlling said inlet, a normally inactive lever fulcrumed in said casing and engageable with said controlling means to close said inlet, said casing having an opening in its side wall, said lever having one end projecting through said opening, an

l overflow chamber communicating with said con- .stant level chamber, a oat in said overflow chamber and cooperable with said lever to close said inlet upon overiiow into said chamber, a oat in said constant level chamber cooperable with said controlling means to maintain a substantially constant level of liquid in said constant level chamber, a lost-motion connection between said second-named float and said vcontrol means, said projecting lever end serving as a manually operable means for resetting said lever from the outside of said casing to normally inactive position, and a cover member on and secured/to said casing and overlying said lever, said lost-motion connection permitting said control means to move relative to said second-named iioat upon engagement of said normally inactivev lever and said control means.

ROY W. JOHNSON. 

